A Harvard psychologist says this surprising trait can make you more successful

While researching her new book, "Presence,"
Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy interviewed a number
of venture capitalists about what personal qualities successful
entrepreneurs demonstrate.

Perhaps the most striking observation she
collected was this: "I don't mind if they're a little bit
nervous; they're doing something big, something that matters to
them, so it makes sense they'd be a little bit nervous."

In the book, Cuddy outlines two key reasons why
a moderate amount of nervousness can be helpful in
stressful situations.

For one, anxiety can be an adaptive response that keeps us alert
to danger and things going wrong. Sometimes, Cuddy says,
nervousness can also signal respect for the person you're
interacting with.

Additionally, "some nervousness can even signal passion to
others," she says. "After all, you wouldn't be nervous if it
didn't matter to you, and you can't easily persuade an investor
or potential client to buy into your idea if it's not clear that
you care deeply about whether or not it succeeds."

In other words, if you're not nervous at
all, the VC you're pitching or the interviewer you're
meeting with might get turned off by your apparent lack of
investment.

In a recent
talk at the 92Y in New York, Cuddy used an example from the
TV show "Shark Tank":

"The people [entrepreneurs] who I find most
compelling are not the ones who come in super-energetic. They're
actually quiet and sometimes they're nervous. You can be nervous;
that's okay. In fact, it sometimes signals that this is a serious
thing and you really care about it."

The idea that it's okay to be nervous is closely
linked to the concept of "presence," which Cuddy defines as being
attuned to and able to express your full potential.

Of course, as many of us already know, getting
overly anxious can hurt your performance. The key to letting your
nerves help instead of hurt you, Cuddy says, is to "avoid
clinging to your nervousness."